Wednesday, June 01, 2005

"Deep Throat" Revealed

After more than 30 years of rumors and speculation, the identity of Wash. Post Watergate unnamed source "Deep Throat" has finally been revealed, says CBS News.

Former FBI #2 man Bernard Felt outed himself in Vanity Fair magazine as the anonymous source for many tips to Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who's reporting helped unveil the workings of the Watergate conspiracy and contribute to the deserved downfall of President Richard Nixon.

As portrayed in their book, "All the President's Men," W&B and Felt would arrange to meet via signals (a potted plant on a patio, etc.) and confer late at night in dimly lit parking garages. W&B swore not to reveal Felt's identity until after his death, and kept their word until he revealed himself. Very cloak-and-dagger.

The event ushered in an era of using unnamed sources in stories -- a sometimes necessary tactic for journalists, but one whose standards and integrity have eroded over the years. Witness the recent Newsweek Koran-desecration fiasco recently.

As I told a reporter one time, I understand why journalists use anonymous sources sometimes -- to get at stories that otherwise might not be gotten. But doing so is kind of like buying street drugs -- there's no one to guarantee the purity of what you're getting, and you bear all the risk.